Colitis

How Does Medical Marijuana Help

What is Colitis?

Colitis or Ulcerative colitis is a disease that causes inflammation and sores (ulcers) in the lining of the large intestine (colon). It usually affects the lower section (sigmoid colon) and the rectum.

In general, the more of the colon that's affected, the worse the symptoms will be. The disease can affect people of any age. But most people who have it are diagnosed before the age of 30.

Can Medical Marijuana help treat Colitis?

Many people with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis have expressed interest in trying medical marijuana to manage their symptoms. Researches on rodent models of human colitis have shown that cannabinoids can be used to reduce inflammation at the level of involved tissues and individual cells. Among humans, cannabis has been used to treat a number of gastrointestinal disorders, including vomiting, diarrhea, and anorexia.

In 2014, researchers from the University of Calgary reported that patients with ulcerative colitis reported symptom relief by the use of cannabis.